


Confusion

by anxious_soul



Series: Destiel Words from Table Prompt [11]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - No Powers, But he struggles sometimes, Gabriel is a Novak, Helpful Sam Winchester, Loving Sam Winchester, Lucifer (Supernatural) is Called Luke, M/M, Self Confidence Issues, Smart Dean Winchester, Swearing, Tutor Castiel, like now
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2018-08-08
Packaged: 2019-06-24 00:00:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15617925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/anxious_soul/pseuds/anxious_soul
Summary: There's a history exam coming up and Dean's struggling with his studying. No he's not dumb. It's just not sticking. So...enter Castiel his tutor for the next week or so. Only, once the exam ends...will that be it for the pair?





	Confusion

**Author's Note:**

> For the eleventh word 'Confusion'.

**011 Confusion**

  
The dirty blond haired man slammed his head painfully into his history textbook and released a long, suffering sigh.

“I give up.”

“Dude. You’ve done nothing but write the title…” Murmured the redheaded girl from the opposite side of the table,

“So? I don’t get it -okay, I _do_ get it, I just can’t remember this shite.”

“Dean, you have two weeks to study for history. Calm down.” She said this time looking up at the boy before her. 

“I know. But, honest to god, I’m going to fail this, Charlie. I know I will. Why should I bother revising?” Charlie’s heart tugged as she watched her best friend pull at his hair in frustration,

“C’mon, Dean, you’ll do fine. How about we take a break? We can go bug Benny at the dinner or tease Sam.”

“Thanks, Charlie…but I think I’m just going to go home. You need a lift?” Dean whispered as he closed the many books around him, placing some of his own in his bag before shouldering the satchel and holding the libraries books so he could check them out as he left.

“Nah. Thanks, but no thanks. I’m going to go and surprise Dorothy at work, she’s a block or two away from here.” She had stood up and wandered to the desk where Dean was checking his books out. 

“Alright. See you.”

 

**——LINE BREAK——**

 

Eighteen-year-old Dean parked up his Impala on that Saturday evening and greeted his mother as he entered his home in Kansas before heading up to his room where he all but flopped on his bed and hugged his pillow. Self-pity and slight self-loathing consumed him, crowding his chest and causing tears to build. Though the tears, he wiped away, not allowing them to fall at all. An hour passed and Dean drifted awake when he felt the side of his bed dip. Green eyes fell on the lanky fourteen-year-old to his right, who was sat cross-legged with a small smile.

“Wassup, S’mmy?” Dean slurred as he woke up, manoeuvring himself into a sitting position, he turned towards his little brother and rubbed at his eyes,

“Well…mum told me to tell you that dinner is in thirty minutes.”

“Alright…thanks for waking me up. How was Kevin? You were hanging out with him right?” 

“And Gabriel.”

“Why? He’s like twenty!”

“So? He’s a nice bloke, albeit peculiar. Anyway, we had a great time! Gabe drove us to the Waterpark and that was good fun!”

“That’s nice, kiddo.” They sat in a slightly awkward silence, both staring at each other, Dean had an eyebrow raised as they waited to see who would make the next move,

“Dean…Charlie texted me earlier…she said she was worried about you. Y’know with your anxiety and…”

“Self-loathing?”

“Yeah…” Sam’s voice was quiet and timid, showing he truly was concerned for Dean, touching his big brother's heart even though Dean was slightly annoyed,

“I’m fine. Honest.”

“Dean…”

“Look…it’s just I…ugh!” Frustrated he tugged on his blonde locks and slammed his eyes closed, scrunching his knees to his chest. Sam gently moved the fingers from Dean’s hair and held his hand like they would when they were younger and one was emotional. “I…I can’t do it, Sammy. I get it, honest I mean what is there to not get when the history texts are right in front of you. It’s just I can’t lodge it into my head. I can’t get the right dates with the right topic and I keep forgetting which thing was with what!”

“It’s okay, Dean.”

“No, it isn’t, Sammy. I know what ma thinks whenever I come home with a D or low C grade. I see the looks she gives dad. I don’t want to be a disappointment. I mean you’re always gonna be the smartest, no doubt about it kid, you’ll get where you want with a brain like that. But…I can’t seem to do anything.”

“Don’t say that. You’re smart, just because you don’t understand school and some subjects, doesn’t mean you’re dumb or stupid. Grades are letters on paper that serve the simple purpose of either making us proud of ourselves or hate ourselves. You know so many other things, Dean. Who cares if you don’t know more than the basic details of the ‘League of Nations’! When in your life are you going to need to tell someone that it was an international organisation of states from all over the world? Why would you ever need to tell someone that the ‘Covenant of the League’ had 26 articles which contained its aims and rules?” Dean shrugged, taking in what his know-it-all brother was saying, “Never. You are never going to need to repeat that information to anyone. Unless you want a job that involves teaching history or something. Point is, Dean, you don’t need any of that. If ma and dad ever tell you that you’re a disappointment, I will scream and argue with them…and then I’ll call Uncle Bobby and Aunt Ellen, those two will sort our parents out. But…in all honesty, De’ I don’t think mum or dad would ever say such a thing. They love you and are proud of whatever you do. Those looks you see, you could’ve just imagined it or maybe they’re concerned with how _you_ would respond with a low grade. We all know how sensitive -don’t give me that look, I’m just being honest- and self-deprecating you can get when it comes to your intelligence and actions.” He paused and they both stilled, trying to listen to a sound heard in the distance, it was Mary shouting for dinner. “One second, ma!” Sam shouted back before lowering his voice and looking back at Dean, “C’mon, let’s have dinner and then talk a bit more.” 

“…Okay, Sammy.” Dean muttered with a sigh, “When did you become the big brother?” Sam smiled as they walked out of the oldest boys room and down the stairs to the kitchen,

“This ‘job’ you have with protecting and watching out for me goes both ways, De’.” Sam hurried to a seat as Dean froze and pondered over what Sam had just said, he smiled and too took a seat. Dinner seemed to pass too quickly for Dean’s liking and soon he and his brother were back in his room chatting about options such as Sam helping, YouTube videos, revision techniques and/or getting a tutor from someone in the same class with exceptional understanding and grades.

 

**——LINE BREAK——**

 

“Will you ever mature, Gabriel?” Was the first thing the trench-coat wearing boy said as his brother entered the house with slightly damp hair,

“What?” He exclaimed taking offence,

“You spent the entire day with two fourteen-year-olds and went to the waterpark. Forgive me if I am incorrect, but I am having a hard time working out who had more fun. You or them.” 

“Oh, Cassie! Stop being such a grump.”

“Well, sorry for being the adult out of the two of us.”

“Honestly, Cas. I do worry about you. You’re eighteen for goodness sake and all you do is read, study, read, eat, study and sleep!” Gabe paused and looked at his beeping phone, he quickly read the text Sam had sent him and smirked, “Say…how do you feel about tutoring?” He asked with a look that spelt worry for Castiel who raised an eyebrow.

 

**——LINE BREAK——**

 

It was Monday afternoon. School was over for the day and Dean found himself in the library once again. His foot was shaking, going up and down constantly due to nerves. His eyes wandered everywhere and his fingers tapped to a beat of music only he could hear. He startled when a hand touched his shoulder.

“Sorry to scare you, but are you Dean Winchester? The student who needs a bit of help with history?”

“Yeah, that’s me.”

“Ah, good. Hello, I am Castiel Novak-Shurley.”

“I feel quite bad for not noticing you.” He murmured, gesturing for the other teen to take a seat,

“Please don’t feel bad. There is a lot of other students in our class and I don’t know many others so, really it’s understandable.” From there they got onto looking and talking about there exam and revision. Dean thanked Castiel several hours later and they organised to meet once again on Wednesday afternoon. Same place. Same time.

In history the next day. Dean nodded and smiled at Castiel in greeting. The angel-named boy was rather surprised.

 

They continued their studying/tutoring every other day. Meeting again in the library the next week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, before they knew it in those six afternoons of being together they had grown to enjoy the others company. Soon it was the exam. They wished each other luck and then sat the exam. 

 

It was done. 2 hours later. 120 long, long minutes had passed and the examination was finished. Exiting the hall, the students took off with their friends. Dean and Castiel crossed paths as they left the building. Neither acknowledged the other…or rather, Cas did not acknowledge Dean. The angel-named man simply assumed that as the course was officially finished, neither would speak or look at one another again. So when Dean smiled at Cas as they passed each other on the way to the car park, Cas simply continued to walk away. His eyes never slipping over to Dean. It was as though the man wasn’t there. As though Dean simply did not exist to Castiel. Charlie, who had been walking with Dean, had focused on the situation and found herself frowning at Cas’ response. After all, Castiel was the one at fault. That’s what happens when you assume. Like the saying goes, _‘when you assume, you make an ass out of you and me.’_

 

**——LINE BREAK——**

 

School finished several days later. Students were collecting their final examination results. Dean was rather impressed with his history. Of course, his grades didn’t shoot from a low C to an A star. But, he got a B. Despite it being a low B, he had managed to get it with a simple 2 marks, which saved him from a C grade. With this, he desperately wanted to find Castiel. To tell him and thank him…and to ask him out on a date…because Dean found himself crushing hard on the trench coat wearing teenager. Only Cas paid no attention to him. So desperate times, called for desperate needs.

 

**——LINE BREAK——**

 

It happened on the first Tuesday of their summer break -well technically for Dean and his grade, it was the start of their life outside of high school as they had now finished and were moving on to real life outside of education (save for those going to university and college but anyway). He had stolen his brother's phone earlier that morning and sent a text to Gabriel Novak-Shurley under the false pretence of his younger brother: 

 

**Sam’s Text: Hey Gabe, could we meet up in half an hour?**

**Gabriel’s Text: Sup Sasquatch, sure. By the library?  
**

**Sam’s Text: Yes. See you.**

 

Not waiting for a response, Dean put his brother’s phone on silent and hid it in Sam’s bag, hoping the younger boy wouldn’t find it until after Dean met with Gabriel as he most certainly did not want his little brother screwing his meeting up.

 

“Ah. So you _were_ the texter.”  Gabriel stated as he popped out of nowhere with a lollipop in his mouth, startling Dean who had been leaning against the wall outside of the library,

“How’d you know?”

“Well…don't get me wrong, the message was very ‘Sam’ like I guess, but normally he retaliates when I call him ‘Sasquatch’.”

“Oh yeah, his worded ‘bitchface’. Truth be told, I was in a rush.” Dean murmured,

“Well, Dean-o. Let's go to the cafe ‘round the corner and then you can tell me how I can assist you. Clearly it’s important, else you wouldn’t have gone through the trouble.”

 

They took a seat and ordered before Dean began to talk, only pausing when his drink arrived and to take a sip.

“So you know how your brother Cas tutored me for those six days?”

“Yep.” The ‘p’ was said with a pop.

“Well…” Dean’s confidence seemed to disappear as he wrapped his hands around his coffee, “See once we finished the exam…he ignored me. Then when I collected my results, he ignored me again. I…well I was hoping you’d maybe help me try to meet him or…or ask him what I did to cause him to ignore me…”

“Oh.” Gabe murmured, he certainly did not expect that and he was always prepared to expect the unexpected, “I can see what I can do. That’s…that doesn’t sound like Cassie, to be honest. I mean he is quite socially awkward and often struggles with strangers. But, from what Sam told me that you told him, the two of you seemed to hit it off quite well. And Cas…he always seemed so happy when he came home.” They sat in silence for a few moments, lost in their own thoughts,

“Give me your number, I’ll try to sort something out for you both to converse and stuff.” They exchanged numbers and went on their ways after finishing their drinks. 

 

**——LINE BREAK——**

 

“So how was Gabe?”

“You knew?”

“You’re not exactly discreet and subtle Dean.”

“Oi! I so am!”

“True, but not with me.” Dean stuck his tongue out in a childish move at Sam’s response, “But, really what were you talking about? As far as I know, you hate the air Gabe breathes!”

“Ok…well first of all, that is an exaggeration. I just think he shouldn’t be hanging around with fourteen-year-old kids when he’s like twenty! Second of all…” Dean felt a bit shy now and looked down at his hands that were scrunched together in the dishtowel that he was using to dry the crocks after dinner that night -Sam was helping him by putting the dishes away. Sam’s eyes softened, he was upset at how much _this_ Dean appeared nowadays. Sam could remember his brother being his Batman. Being his fearless protector and whilst he still was, Sam was saddened by the fact that his brother had lost his self-confidence and self-esteem, making him prone to moments like this.

“It’s okay, De’.”

“Nah…I’m fine. I met with Gabriel to talk about Cas…tiel. I think I told you about him avoiding me?” Sam nodded and Dean continued, “I was basically just asking Gabe if I did something or…yeah.”

“I get it. I’m sure everything will be fine in the end, De’.” Dean rolled his eyes at his brother's optimistic attitude but smiled and threw his arm around the lanky teen's shoulders as a hug,

“Dude, you need to stop growing!” Dean exclaimed and Sam smirked cheekily,

“Nope!”

 

**——LINE BREAK——**

 

“Hey Sam, by any chance can you drag your brother mine?”

“Sure…why?” Sam asked with narrowed eyes even though Gabe couldn’t see as they were talking on the phone,

“Well…I have a plan to get my stubborn brother to talk with your surprisingly less stubborn -but only in this situation- brother.”

“Alright, be there in ten.” Sam hung up and quickly racked his brain for a reason as to why he might need Dean to take him to the Novak-Shurley household. A light bulb appeared above his head as he smacked his fist into his palm as an idea struck -plus, if all else failed, his puppy dog eyes would be his back up plan. He went to find his brother.

“Dean, I left something at Gabe’s, can you give me a lift?”

“Do I have to? Can’t you just walk?”

“Mum said you have to.”

“Alright, then.” Dean sighed before grabbing his leather jacket and waiting downstairs for his annoyingly tall little brother.

 

**——LINE BREAK——**

 

They arrived at the large house and Sam all but forced Dean to come with him to the door. Much to Dean’s annoyance and immense confusion. Once the fourteen-year-old rang the doorbell, everything happened quickly. As Dean was minding his own business, looking around aimlessly, whilst they waited for the door to be answered, he was suddenly grabbed and thrown over someone's shoulder before being dumped on the ground in what appeared to be a cupboard. As he heard something being put against the door, he seemed to snap out of his stunned and dazed state. Shoving at the door, before yelling, Dean sighed and fell to the floor in defeat…which is when he noticed the other being in the surprisingly large cupboard.

“This some Narnia shit?” Dean muttered getting a quiet chuckle from the other person,

“Possibly.”

“Cas?”

“Hell, Dean.”

“Jesus, when I told Gabe I wanted his help getting you to acknowledge me, I didn’t mean for him to team up with my brother and chuck us in a bloody cupboard!”

“Well, it is Gabriel, mixed signals and all.”

“He was dropped on the head as a baby, wasn’t he?”

“Many a time.”

“Were your other brothers helping too or has Gabriel gotten freakishly strong all of a sudden?”

“I believe it was Luke, who carried you in here.”

“I ain’t a chick, he did not carry me, he…dragged me.” Cas just shrugged his shoulders even though neither could see very well in the dark area. An awkward silence arose and lasted many minutes. Though, Dean was the one to break it.

“Why did you start ignoring me? After the exam and all, you just…acted as though we didn’t know each other.”

“We don’t -“

“That’s a lie. We spent time together and I for one know that the things we were discussing half of the time weren’t even history related.” Dean’s voice rose slightly as Cas remained quiet momentarily.

“I assumed that you would forget about me once the examination was over with. So, I started to ignore you because I wanted it to happen on my terms.”

“Dude, never assume, it makes an ass out of you and me.” Cas tilted his head in confusion before working out the sentence, “But, I actually really enjoyed getting to know you. I was planning on asking you…” Dean stopped and coughed, though it was fake, it was merely a gesture of his embarrassment, “well, I was going to ask you out on a…”

“Date?”

“Yep. That’s the one.” The awkward and tense silence had returned,

“I feel that I must first apologise for my previous actions. But, yes. I would like to go on a date with you.” They shared a smile even though the room was dark.

 

**——LINE BREAK——**

 

“Can you two love-birds make-out now?” Came Gabriel’s voice, the pair were sure that their bright red blushes could be seen in the darkness of the cupboard,

“Will you let us out now you bastard?” Shouted Dean,

“Hey! My parents were married before I was welcomed into this world!” Despite his response, the man opened the door for the pair, who shared a small smile at one another as they were blinded by the light. Hesitantly, Dean entwined his fingers with Cas’, who tightened his grip on Dean’s hand in reassurance. 

Whilst this was happening Gabriel gave Sam a rather discreet high five. Luke, who had been hidden in the corner watching the scene, shook his head but allowed a small smile to grace his lips before he wandered away from the group.

**Author's Note:**

> The problem Dean has in this with remembering the information but understanding it is sort of based off of how I was during my history exams a few months ago -only I had actually missed half of the curriculum so technically I have a good excuse if I end up doing terribly!
> 
> Anyway,  
> Thank you for reading,  
> Hope you enjoyed this,  
> Please leave a kudos and a comment  
> Bye!


End file.
